Cannon

From Free net encyclopedia

For other uses, see Cannon (disambiguation).

Image:Cannon pic.jpg A cannon is any large tubular firearm designed to fire a heavy projectile over a considerable distance. The term can apply to a modern day rifled machine gun with a calibre of 20 mm or more (see autocannon).

Cannon also refers to a large, smooth-bored, muzzle-loading gun used before the advent of breech-loading, rifled guns firing explosive shells. Although a variety of such guns are commonly referred to as "cannon", the term specifically refers to a gun designed to fire a 42lb shot as opposed to a "Demi-cannon" (32lb), Culverin (18lb) or Demi-culverin (9lb).

"Cannon" derives from the Latin canna—a tube. Bombard was earlier used for "cannon", but from the early 15th century came to refer only to the largest weapons. "Cannon" can serve both as the singular and plural of the noun.

1 Projectiles fired from cannon
2 Modern cannon
3 Reference
4 See also
5 Patents

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Projectiles fired from cannon

Image:Cannon diagram.PNG

Round shot: A solid projectile made, in early times, from dressed stone but, by the 17th century, from iron. The most accurate projectile that could be fired by a smooth-bore cannon, used to batter the wooden hulls of opposing ships, forts, or fixed emplacements, and as a long-range anti-personnel weapon.
Chain shot or bar shot: Two sub-calibre round shot (a good deal smaller than the bore of the barrel) linked by a length of chain or a solid bar, and used to slash through the rigging and sails of an enemy ship so that it could no longer manoeuvre. It was inaccurate and only used at close range.
Canister shot (or case shot): An anti-personnel weapon which included many small round shot or lead musket balls in a metal can, which broke up when fired, scattering the shot throughout the enemy personnel, like a large shotgun.
Shell: An anti-personnel weapon, similar to canister shot, but with a can that was much more robust and which also contained a fused explosive charge, trimmed to explode above the heads of the enemy, spreading shot and can fragments in the form of shrapnel over the enemy. First used in the 16th century as a siege weapon fired from mortars, and later as a battlefield weapon.
Grapeshot: An anti-personnel weapon, similar to canister shot, but with the shot being contained in a canvas bag, and generally of a larger calibre. So called because of the resemblance of the clustered shot in the bag to a cluster of grapes on the vine.
Carcass: An incendiary/antipersonnel projectile designed to burn fiercely and produce poisonous fumes. It was constructed of an iron frame bound with sack cloth and filled with various ingredients such as pitch, antimony, sulphur, saltpeter, tallow and venetian turpentine. It was ignited by the cannon's propellant charge, bursting on impact with the target and releasing noxious fumes while setting fire to its surroundings. It was effectively an early chemical weapon as well as an incendiary and area denial weapon.
Heated (or hot) shot: A process where the cannonball is heated red hot and shot at flammable targets with the intent of starting a fire.

Image:CannonWithSmoke.jpg

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Modern cannon

A modern artillery piece is generally referred to either as a "gun", or by the name of its specific type, such as a Howitzer.

Since World War II the term cannon is used to refer to a gun of around 20 mm to 125 mm calibre, sometimes with an automatic loading action capable of firing explosive ammunition, an auto-cannon.

The minimum calibre of a cannon, 20 mm, has been a de facto standard since WWII, when heavy machine guns of 12.7 mm (0.5 inches) and 13.2 mm calibre were used side by side with 20 mm and larger guns, the latter using explosive ammunition, e.g., RAF fighters with 20 mm Hispano cannon and Luftwaffe with 20 mm and 30 mm cannon. The Bofors 40 mm gun and Oerlikon 20 mm cannon are two examples largely used during the Second World War, and still in usage today.

Most nations use these modern (auto-) cannon on their lighter vehicles. Typical of the type is the 25 mm 'Bushmaster' cannon mounted on the LAV and Bradley armoured vehicles.

A cannon generally refers to a high velocity, low trajectory, direct fire weapon such as the main gun on most modern main battle tanks.

A howitzer generally refers to a weapon using a lower velocity than a cannon, which fires on a higher trajectory, and provides indirect fire.

These are both differentiated from a mortar, which fires a low velocity (by comparison) round at very high trajectory at much more limited range.

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